SCHOOL OF YOUTH LEADERS OF THE CPLP – 2010CAPE VERDE JULY 4-12 2010

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The second edition of the School of Youth Leaders takes place in the framework of the 2nd African University on Youth and Development, developed by the Portuguese Youth Council in partnership with the Youth Forum of the Portuguese Speaking Countries Community (CPLP) and the Southern Youth Councils of Europe.

This event seeks to promote space for youth leaders from both regions to share experiences and reflect on priorities to develop a common agenda within the EU-Africa partnership and the global youth processes.

Given the context of the International Youth Year: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, the World Youth Conference (Mexico), the 2nd Africa Europe Youth Summit and the African Youth Decade (2009-2018), the debate and reflection of youth leaders of the CPLP Youth Forum and of SYC focused on:

Global Youth Cooperation – by mapping the events and the structures in which youth participation can bring added value, namely the World Youth Conference;

Interregional Cooperation Europe – Africa – Latin America and the Caribbean – by promoting a coordinated youth approach of these spaces on common goals and challenges;

Africa Europe Youth Summit Follow-up – by providing space for discussion about the outcomes of the 1st Summit and the monitoring process of its recommendations; the synergies that can be created among partners in the framework of this cooperation and the preparation of the 2nd Africa Europe Youth Summit;

Regional Cooperation and Youth Rights – by the screening of the processes of elaboration, ratification and implementation of the Iberoamerican Convention on Youth Rights, the African Youth Charter and the European Convention on Youth Rights (still the process of elaboration) and the prospection of the adoption of an International Convention on Youth Rights at the United Nations level;

Exchange of Best Practices – by presenting what National Youth Councils have been doing at the national level;

International Cooperation in Africa – by having a conversation with the, Mr. António Pedro Alves Lopes, CPLP's Focal Point for Cooperation and Director-General of International Cooperation of Cape Verde. The session focused in the dynamics of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in Africa, namely among the countries represented in the School of Youth Leaders.

Space has also been given for the development and enhancement of bilateral relations between Southern Youth Councils and CPLP Youth Councils.

A very important dimension of this second edition of the School of Youth Leaders were the sessions on “Crossing Euro-African with Global Youth Work”. This project on Global Education to be developed by the SYC and CPLP partners will be discussed in order to develop a joint strategy and a timeline for action. This meeting also promoted the evaluation of cooperation projects between the partners, particularly in regard to projects implemented by different national pools of trainers in the framework of the initiative "Non-Formal Education: a Youth Tool for Development".

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SCHOOL OF YOUTH LEADERS OF THE CPLP 2010

The main aim of the second edition of the School of Youth Leaders of the CPLP was to provide a space for sharing experiences and reflect on priorities between Southern Europe Youth Councils (SYC) and the CPLP Youth Forum (FJ-CPLP), in order to develop a common agenda within the EU-Africa partnership and global youth processes. During the week, youth leaders from both regions learned more about each other's realities through the exchange of best practices and shared their views and agendas regarding: participation on events such as the World Youth Conference; interregional cooperation Europe – Africa – Latin America and the Caribbean; Africa Europe Youth Summit follow-up; regional cooperation and youth rights; international cooperation in Africa; as well as the follow-up of the cooperation on non-formal education and training strategies between SYC and FJ-CPLP members.

The participants were from the Cape-Verdian Youth Federation, the Portuguese National Youth Council, the National Youth Council of Angola, the National Youth Council of Mozambique, the National Youth Council of Guinea-Bissau, the Cyprus Youth Council, the Italian Youth Council and the Iberoamerican Youth Space.

The main outcomes are as it follows:

The University framework was very important for participants to share their experiences with a broader range of youth representatives from Africa and Europe and better understand the dimensions and actors of the Euro-African youth cooperation – African Diaspora, regional youth platforms, international youth organizations, governments, and international organizations.

By the end of this activity, participants agreed this had been an important moment for strengthening relations between partners and promote a better understanding of each other's work and priorities at the national and regional levels.

Partners were able to discuss global youth processes such as the International Youth Year: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding, the World Youth Conference, the 65th UN General Assembly and the review of the Millennium Development Goals, as well as regional processes with a focus on youth rights – the Iberoamerican Youth Rights Convention, the African Youth Charter, the European Convention on Youth Rights (on the make). This provided them with the framework in which interregional synergies can be strengthened or created, namely in what regards an international legal framework for youth rights.

In what concerns the follow-up of the Africa Europe Youth Summit, partners have different ownership feelings, as some National Youth Councils have been more engaged in this process than others. Nonetheless, all partners agreed on the importance of the cooperation between youth councils from Africa and Europe as well as in the exchange of best practices between youth organizations from both continents. The recognition of youth rights in both continents is fundamental in order to achieve the MDGs; it is also important to promote and ensure the participation of young people in the decision-making processes – a youth agenda must be made with young people.

SYC and FJ-CPLP had also the opportunity to strengthen strategies within themselves, and partners reinforced the importance of the cooperation regarding joint training and education strategies, in order to support a broader common agenda in interregional (Africa-Europe Cooperation) and international (United Nations processes) frameworks.

Partners discussed and agreed on the timeline for action regarding the project “Crossing Euro-African with Global Youth Work”, which focuses on Global Education. The project is to be coordinated by NYC Portugal.

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OUTCOMES

We, the participants of the 2nd African University on Youth and Development would like to congratulate our hosts in Cape Verde on the celebration of the 35th anniversary of their Independence and we feel inspired by the remarkably large proportion of young leaders in political positions.

The African University on Youth and Development, organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and its partners, has given us the opportunity to bring youth organizations and their elected representatives from Africa and Europe together, to share, to learn and to participate. This learning space has been a successful example for the possibilities of the implementation of the Africa-EU Strategic partnership.

The year 2010 marks an important milestone in our joint effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This year also creates a momentum in the Africa-Europe co-operation, which our University is an important part of.

Millennium Development Goals = Youth Development Goals

Young People constitute the majority of the population in the world and up to 80% in developing countries. We take note of and are encouraged by the progress noted in the UN Secretary General's 2010 MDG report. However we are very saddened and concerned by the fact that Africa – and Sub-Saharan Africa in particular – is lagging behind in many of the most crucial indicators of development. The achievement of the MDGs requires the full and effective participation of young people and youth-led organisations for example in decision-making processes.

Investment in and empowerment of young people is needed to boost development in Africa. This is the responsibility of all actors, including Governments, regional organisations such as the African Union, the European Union, the Council of Europe as well as civil society and youth organisations.

The following are our recommendations to achieve development through investing in youth:

Recognition of the rights of young people

Human rights and development are strongly interlinked and recognition of the rights of young people, including the rights to full and effective participation in policy formulation and decision making processes on issues that affect the youth, are of utmost importance. We therefore:

- call upon the African states that have not yet ratified the African Youth Charter to make the ratification a matter of priority;

- request all African states to implement the African Youth Charter and develop national youth policies in co-operation with National Youth Councils and other national and international youth NGOs;

- encourage the African Union and its Member States to promote the African Youth Charter and the work for youth rights also in the framework of the United Nations;

- call upon the countries present in the World Youth Conference to give an impulse to the approval of a Universal Convention on Youth Rights, taking as example International treaties, such as the African Youth Charter and the Iberoamerican Convention on Youth Rights.

DECLARATION FROM THE 2ND AFRICAN UNIVERSITY ON YOUTH AND DEVELOPMENTCape Verde July 4-11 2010

Young migrants = Agents of Change

The majority of the world's migrant population is young and their contribution to society and development – both in their countries of origin and in the hosting countries – must be recognised. We therefore

- ask for the recognition of the important role the African Youth in Diaspora and in particular its networks in Europe are playing in the Africa-Europe co-operation and their inclusion into the development and implementation of youth policies;

- request for all actors to provide space and funding for the African Youth in Diaspora in Europe to participate in the cooperation for development with Africa;

- stress that migration should not be forced by economic, social, political and/or environmental factors.

Intercultural Dialogue

The week at the African University on Youth and Development offered us a unique opportunity to share best practices and promote intercultural dialogue. The 3rd EU-Africa Heads of States Summit will take place during the International Year of Youth; Dialogue and Mutual Understanding as well as in the beginning of the African Youth Decade (2009-2018), we therefore:

- demand for a strong commitment regarding investment on the youth and in developing further cooperation between youth organizations from Europe and Africa.

- request governments to ensure a greater involvement of Pan-African and sub-regional organisations in the promotion of a culture of peace, democratic values and respect for human rights and to recognise their role in preventing and managing conflicts.

Stronger co-operation amongst youth organisations in Africa

Strengthening the co-operation and exchange among Youth Organisations is crucial to reach out to more young people and to increase the impact and quality of youth and development programmes. We therefore:

- call upon the African Union to ensure recognised spaces for co-operation among Youth Organisations active on the Pan-African level, to establish a programme providing support to Pan-African activities in the frame of youth-led organisations and to enable, empower and include international Youth Organisations in Pan-African decision making and inter-regional co-operations;

- call upon all actors for support to the establishment of independent National Youth Councils and truly youth-led organisations, as promoters and facilitators of youth participation in policy making for development in all countries and on all levels;

- call upon all youth-led organisations to ensure transparency in internal decision making, including free and equal elections to leadership positions for a defined time-frame and a limited number of terms;

- demand for the recognition of the work done by African youth organizations as key contributors for development.

Towards the 3rd EU-Africa Heads of State Summit

Following and monitoring the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy over the last years, we have identified needs for improvement in many areas. Therefore we call upon the African and European Heads of States and other actors to:

- establish a new paradigm of leadership based on democracy, responsibility and accountability, fulfilling criteria for good governance and efficient and effective management of public goods;

- ensure sustainable growth through ensuring the right to decent work for all young people, investing in the renewable energies sector, reducing the environmental impact caused by massive exploitation and utilisation of resources and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors;

- empower women to take upon permanent roles and leadership positions on a national level and in Africa-Europe co-operation, including youth co-operation;

- increase and strengthen the capacity building of all relevant stakeholders in the context of the Africa-Europe co-operation, for example through training courses and exchanges;

- provide resources and support to implement Africa-Europe youth projects and activities in the local context;

- facilitate youth exchanges and enhance youth mobility, including visa procedures, to ensure better co-operation for development;

- ensure freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in all countries in Africa and Europe;

- include youth delegates into their delegations to international meetings that concern the youth;

- strongly commit, engage and invest in youth and in further developing the co-operation between youth organisations in Europe, international youth organisations on the Pan-African level and member organisations of the Pan-African Youth union and the European Youth Forum.